Mother's Boys (1994)

Director:

Yves Simoneau

Writers (WGA):

Bernard Taylor (novel)
Barry Schneider (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 March 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

She left them three years ago. Now she's coming back... Whether they like it or not.

Plot:

Jude Madigan leaves her husband Robert and her three children without any explanation. Three years later...

Plot Keywords:

Incest | Tied To Chair | Handcuffs | Psychopath | Injury

Cast

Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Judith 'Jude' Madigan
Peter Gallagher	...	Robert Madigan
Joanne Whalley	...	Colleen 'Callie' Harland (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer)
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Lydia
Luke Edwards	...	Kes Madigan
Colin Ward	...	Michael Madigan
Joey Zimmerman	...	Ben Madigan
Joss Ackland	...	Lansing, Jude's Attorney
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Mark Kaplan, Robert's Attorney
J.E. Freeman	...	Everett, Principal
John C. McGinley	...	Mr. Fogel, Teacher
Jill Freedman	...	Nurse
Lorraine Toussaint	...	Robert's Associate
Ken Lerner	...	Jude's Analyst
Mary Anne McGarry	...	Planetarium Woman
Judith Roberts	...	Narrator
Sachi Ena	...	Cynthia, Girl in Kes' Class
Jeanine Jackson	...	Market Mom
Jesse Stock	...	Market Kid

Directed by
Yves Simoneau

Writing credits (WGA)
Bernard Taylor		(novel)
Barry Schneider		(screenplay) and
Richard Hawley		(screenplay)

Produced by
Daniel Franklin	....	associate producer
Jack E. Freedman	....	producer
Patricia Herskovic	....	producer
Randall Poster	....	executive producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer
Wayne S. Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
George S. Clinton

Cinematography by
Elliot Davis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael D. Ornstein		(as Michael Ornstein)

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Art Direction by
David J. Bomba		(as David Bomba)

Set Decoration by
Barbara Cassel

Costume Design by
Deena Appel
Simon Tuke

Makeup Department
Jennifer Bell	....	hair stylist
June Brickman	....	makeup artist
Julie Hewett	....	key makeup artist
Gus Le Pre	....	hair stylist: second unit
Frances Mathias	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Daniel Franklin	....	unit production manager (as Dan Franklin)
Robert Gros	....	executive in charge of production: CBS
Hilarie Roope	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur Anderson	....	first assistant director: second unit
Steve Boyum	....	second unit director
Bruce Carter	....	second assistant director
Steve Danton	....	first assistant director
Leslie Franks	....	second second assistant director (as Leslie D. Franks)
Jay Smith	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
David H. Allen	....	property master
Kevin Coyle	....	dresser
Mark Kusy	....	on-set dresser
Mark Kusy	....	property master: second unit
David Lowery	....	storyboard artist
David Lucene	....	leadman
Frank McEldowney	....	greens supervisor
Michael Miller	....	first assistant props (as Michael G. Miller)
David J. Negron	....	storyboard artist
Erik Polczwartek	....	dresser
Peter Paul Raubertas	....	visual consultant
Donald C. Riley	....	dresser (as Don Riley)
Michael D. Welch	....	construction coordinator (as Mike Welch)
Perry Welch	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Pat Clark	....	boom operator
Dave Concors	....	sound editor
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
David Gertz	....	foley mixer
Rich Green	....	foley walker
David Hagberg	....	sound editor (as David Lee Hagberg)
William Hooper	....	sound editor
Chris Jargo	....	supervising adr editor
Fred Judkins	....	supervising sound editor
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Bill King	....	boom operator
Clark King	....	sound mixer
James Moriana	....	foley walker
Larry Pitman	....	dubbing recordist
F. Scott Taylor	....	assistant sound editor
Mark A. Tracy	....	assistant sound editor (as Mark Tracy)
Bryan O. Watkins	....	assistant sound editor (as Bryan Watkins)
Scott Weber	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley walker
Dean A. Zupancic	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Peter Chesney	....	special effects designer
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects coordinator
Sandra Stewart	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Ed Bannister	....	stunts
Richard L. Blackwell	....	stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Tony Jefferson	....	stunts
Donna Keegan	....	stunts
Mary Peters	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunt double
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunts
Scott Sproule	....	stunts
Kevin Swigert	....	stunt coordinator
Kevin Thompson	....	stunts
Danny Wynands	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Anderberg	....	grip (as David Anderberg)
Guy Baron	....	grip
Robert Blair	....	best boy grip: second unit
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Tim Collins	....	dolly grip
Thomas Crawford	....	best boy grip (as Tom Crawford)
Jeffrey De La Rosa	....	electrician
John J. Ellingwood	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Jack Ellingwood)
Michael Ferris	....	camera operator: second unit
Roy Gittens	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Dale Holmen	....	electrician
William T. Jones	....	key grip: second unit (as Jake Jones)
Dan Kerns	....	electrician
Peter B. Kowalski	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Norman Lang	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Richard Mall	....	key grip
Kal Manning	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Patrick E. McGinness	....	camera operator: second unit
Marty Miller	....	grip
Jeff Murrell	....	electrician
Deana Newcomb	....	still photographer
John Nuler	....	Steadicam operator
John Nuler	....	camera operator
Wayne M. Paschal	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Al Rasmussen	....	dolly grip: second unit
Charles Smith	....	grip
Wally Sweeterman	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Ron Vargas	....	director of photography: second unit
Rick A. West	....	gaffer
Julian Whatley	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Jolanda R. Wipfli	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Kathy Driscoll	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Lee Cocuzzo	....	set costumer
Michael Hamer	....	costume supervisor
Katie Sparks	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Patrick J. Don Vito	....	apprentice editor (as Patrick Don Vito)
Douglas Howell	....	editing intern
Jay Lawton	....	assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Barbara Riley	....	negative cutter
Pete Sepenuk	....	editorial intern
Karen Whipple	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Carlo Jean-Paul Chanez	....	orchestrator
George S. Clinton	....	orchestrator
Joel Iwataki	....	score recording engineer
Marty Wereski	....	music editor
John Whynot	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Jack Carpenter	....	driver: camera cars
Thomas J. Hoke	....	transportation captain (as Tom Hoke)
Dean E. Mason	....	transportation coordinator
John Sagray	....	crew driver

Other crew
John Alfred	....	assistant accountant
Carol Sue Byron	....	production accountant
Robert Chambers	....	assistant location manager (as Bob Chambers)
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Mory Framer	....	psychological consultant
Marita Grabiak	....	script supervisor (as Marita Jane Grabiak)
Suzanne Gundlach	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Susan Gundlach)
Steve Hasenberg	....	psychological consultant
Miles J. Henley	....	assistant location manager (as Miles Henley)
Vic Heutschy	....	publicist
June Jordan	....	stand-in
Sazzy Lee Calhoun	....	key production assistant: second unit
Ralph B. Meyer	....	location manager
Brian Turi	....	animal trainer
Lisa Van Cott	....	production coordinator
Karen Yokomizo	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Miramax Films (presents)
• CBS Productions (in association with)

Distributors

• Dimension Films (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• SPO (Japan) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Image Special Effects Company

Other Companies

• 3rd St. Sound  sound transfers
• Barry Kieselstein Enterprises  jewellery
• Bruce Schluter Design Inc.  titles
• Buena Vista Sound  sound
• Buttars Music  music preparation
• Cinema Research  opticals
• Hadler Public Relations  jeeps provided by
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr group
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Perpetual Motion Pictures  main title opticals
• Steve Martin's Working Wildlife  animals provided by
• The Casting Group  atmosphere casting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and for a mother's sociopathic behavior

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Arden Villa - 1145 Arden Road, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Goofs:

Factual errors: Jude's mother is on a ventilator and has a nasal cannula in place, so should not be able to speak.

Quotes:

Ben Madigan:[first lines?] Kes can i get in your bed?
Kes Madigan:Yeah sure
Ben Madigan:I was just thinking about this judge
Kes Madigan:He just wants us to ask a bunch of questions
Ben Madigan:[Nervous] But what if i don't remmber stuff?
Ben Madigan:[Reassuring] It's okay it's not a test

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Anus Magillicutty (2003)

The psycho version of "Kramer vs. Kramer".

Just imaging "Kramer vs. Kramer" gone extreme and you've got "Mother's Boys". The movie uses exactly the same concept of "Kramer vs. Kramer", of a mother who abandoned her family for 3 years but has now returned to reclaim her kids from the father. It was someone was simply saying; Hey that "Kramer vs. Kramer" movie is a good one, lets turn it into a thriller!

It's not like the concept of the movie is a terrible bad idea but however the execution of it is. The movie offers too little big surprises and the movie surely could had used some more tension and other thriller elements. The movie is filled with some missed opportunities, they could and should had made the mother character far more psychotic and evil. She basically now gets too little psychotic to do in this movie, which causes the tension and mystery of this movie not to work out.

Surprising to see how big the cast of this movie is. It's perhaps also the only reason why this movie still remains a watchable one. The actors still make the movie interesting and worthwhile to watch. Although Jamie Lee Curtis and Peter Gallagher aren't even in the same league! Jamie Lee Curtis totally outclasses Peter Gallagher so much, that at almost becomes embarrassing to watch. Jamie Lee Curtis plays a great role and she handles it just right. Joanne Whalley also pulls off alright and there are some fine supporting actors such as Vanessa Redgrave, John C. McGinley, Joss Ackland and Paul Guilfoyle but their roles are unfortunately all way too small.

It's not a terribly bad movie but it's also not really one that ever surprises or leaves a big impression on you. A real lackluster and filled with many missed opportunities and wasted potential. Therefor I also can't really recommend this movie to anyone.

5/10

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